Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Timbre refers to the quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds, even when they have the same pitch and loudness. It is often described as the "color" or "tone color" of a sound.
Related terms
Harmonics: These are additional frequencies that accompany the main frequency in a sound. They contribute to the timbre of a sound.
Overtones: Similar to harmonics, overtones are higher frequencies present in a complex sound wave. They also play a role in determining the timbre.
Spectrogram: A visual representation that displays how various frequencies change over time in a sound. It helps analyze and understand the timbral characteristics of music.